


Tom’s Guiding Hand

by Pink_and_Velvet



Series: Writers Month: August 2019 [11]
Category: Top Gun (1986)
Genre: Character Study, Control, F-14, Falling In Love, Feelings, First Flight, Fluff, Gen, Learning curve, Overwhelmed, Pilot talk, Pilots, Pre-Canon, US Navy, tomcat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-19 10:20:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20208136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pink_and_Velvet/pseuds/Pink_and_Velvet
Summary: Tom takes his first flight in his F-14. He’s never felt more alive.Writersmonth Day 13 Prompt:Feelings





	Tom’s Guiding Hand

Tom had never felt so alive.

It wasn’t until he took his first flight, his Tomcat purred as she was awoken under his smooth hand. Even taxiing, he felt alive, the power and the need to control such a vibrant machine was all down to him. He coaxed her into position, heart pumping faster than any feeling he had ever known, she wasn’t even off of the tarmac and he had already fallen in love. The notion of where he could go, of where she would take him, her power, the intensity. The love. And neither were even flying at this point.

He turned his head and caught sight of the deckhand who signalled. Tom, with such enthusiasm, gave him a thumbs up and salute as he bought his Tomcat to life. He gained an incredible speed within six seconds as she took to the air, a steep climb as he guided her, higher and higher, to the perfect ascension angle. The rush had hit him even before they settled at ten thousand feet.

He yanked her from side to side, pulled a rolling reversal, breaking hard lefts and rights. He was getting a feel for her controls, what made her tick, what excited her and propelled them both up to a new mach. Her engines roared, her afterburners screamed, as her speed increased and Tom’s excitement reached a whole new scale. He had reached a whole new height.

He hadn’t stopped smiling throughout the entire flight. His grip tightened, he knew just how to guide her along. Switches were flicked and buttons were pressed, the Tomcat rightfully obeyed. She was beautiful, her cool greys gleaming in the sunlight that blinded Tom is his cockpit.

When word came that he should return to base a disappointment ran through him. His first hop in his beloved winged avenger was a true success, gaining new heights and a rush that he could never have imagined. He hadn’t felt anything so intense in his life before riding her, guiding her: she was his home. She was branded with his name, his insignia. She was branded with pride and Tom too, wore her patches on his sleeve, wore her number with dignity. He took care of her; patted her down and comforted her as they descended through the lonely skies.

She was bought down with ease as Tom had the perfect angle. They glided down into the rigged barricades and were ground to a halt. Her engine died down. Tom was flushed, panting and covered with sweat. He ran a dexterous finger over her gauges a final time and popped open the canopy. He disembarked, palms flat at her sides, helping to steer himself down an unfamiliar path. Once his feet were planted firmly on the ground again he looked up, basked in the sight of her. His machine, his winning machine. She would keep him safe, she would keep him aloft and alive. They would hang onto every moment, together, riding a silver dove.

Tom had never felt anything this intense in his life. He slowly began to walk away, helmet in hand, with a beaming smile. Nothing could take this feeling away from him, nothing could take his trusted Tomcat from him. She was his home. She was where he belonged.

Tom had never felt so alive. 


End file.
